1. Field
Aspects of the present invention relate to apparatus and methods for producing plastic components, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for producing plastic components for use in vehicles.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Hollow plastic component parts are often used for air conduction in vehicles, such as in intake manifolds, intake manifold modules, connection pipes between turbo chargers and internal combustion engines, filtering tubes, and the like. Often, these components are made of thermoplastic material and are formed either through blow molding techniques, lost core techniques, or injection molding techniques.
One known technique for forming plastic components is described in DE OS 197 01 118. This method involves injection molding half shell components and then joining the half shells together using plastic welding techniques. Forming plastic components with such an approach provides for a variety of design options, and may result in a sturdy molded plastic component. These prior art techniques, however, have been limited to the use of a common material for each of the half shell components.
Tubes that connect turbo chargers to internal combustion engines are often subject to movement, such as due to physical movement between the parts that are connected to the tube, or even due to thermal expansion and/or contraction of the tube itself. To accommodate this movement, prior art tubes often include bellows. Bellows may also prevent or reduce vibration and/or sound transmission.
Present manufacturing techniques are incapable of effectively forming complex hollow components from multiple types of plastic material. Although blow molding technology has been used to form components with both hard and soft plastic materials, these techniques can only be used to form simple shapes. Hollow bodies with complex shapes, undercuts, shoulders, and/or laterally projecting portions cannot be manufactured through blow molding techniques. Injection molding techniques also have drawbacks, as separate manufacture is required of each of the different materials, which are subsequently welded together through a complicated welding process.